Beltane 2019 Edinburgh Calton Hill – Image credit: Nyri0 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81651179
EDINBURGH— The annual Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, where nearly 10,000 people gathered on Calton Hill to celebrate the symbolic beginning of summer. Held on the night of April 30 into May 1, the festival draws inspiration from ancient Celtic seasonal observances associated with Beltane, a traditional fire festival marking the midpoint between spring and summer.
The celebration is led by the symbolic figures of the May Queen and the Green Man, who represent themes of fertility, renewal, nature, and the transition into the warmer half of the year. The event features elaborate theatrical performances, ritual processions, drumming, dancing, and extensive fire displays, creating an immersive and visually dramatic experience for attendees. Performers dressed in striking costumes, many with painted faces, horns, or nature-inspired imagery, participate in choreographed ceremonies centered around large bonfires and spinning flames.
The modern Beltane Fire Festival has taken place annually since 1988 and serves as the spring and summer counterpart to the Samhuinn Fire Festival, which occurs on October 31 and marks the transition into winter. Both events are organized by the Beltane Fire Society, a volunteer-run charity dedicated to preserving and reimagining the fire festivals of the ancient Celtic calendar while also promoting traditional street theatre, music, and pageantry.
The contemporary festival is not a direct historical reconstruction, but rather a modern interpretation of Iron Age Celtic ritual traditions. Fire remains central to the celebration, reflecting the meaning of the word “Beltane,” often translated as “bright fire.” Through spectacle, ritual, and community participation, the festival has become one of Scotland’s most recognizable seasonal celebrations and a major cultural event in Edinburgh’s annual calendar.
The Scotsman shared some amazing pictures of the Edinburgh Beltaine Fire Festival. The BBC also shared a report with stunning images as well.
Seal of Maine
A recent article from the Associated Press, originally reported by the Maine Monitor, explores the growing visibility and organization of modern Paganism in the state of Maine. The story centers on practitioners such as Paul Ridlon, also known as Magnus de Rhuddlan, a Norse Druid who begins each day with rituals honoring nature, the land, and spiritual forces he believes inhabit the world around him. His practices reflect a broader trend of interest in earth-centered spirituality that includes traditions such as Druidry, Wicca, and eclectic Paganism.
The article notes that recent survey data from the Pew Research Center found that roughly 4% of Mainers identified as Pagan or Wiccan in a 2023–24 survey, reportedly the highest percentage of any U.S. state. Scholars and practitioners interviewed attribute the growth to several overlapping cultural trends, including declining participation in organized Christianity, increased environmental consciousness, feminist and LGBTQ+ movements, and the accessibility of Pagan communities through the internet and social media platforms like TikTok.
Despite Paganism’s often solitary nature, as they note, the article highlights Maine’s unusually organized Pagan infrastructure. The Maine Pagan Clergy Association provides clergy licensing, ethics standards, and training for Pagan spiritual leaders, allowing them to perform marriages and serve in ministerial roles. Leaders describe the organization as an important step toward broader social legitimacy and recognition for Pagan clergy, who still sometimes face skepticism from mainstream institutions.
The story ultimately portrays Paganism in Maine as both deeply personal and increasingly communal, rooted in nature, ritual, and a desire for spiritual connection outside traditional religious structures. The full story is available on AP News.
For the seventh year, Thor’s Oak Kindred has a team walking in the Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate. We invite you to join us or donate to the fundraiser.
Founded in 2016, Thor’s Oak Kindred is a diverse organization dedicated to the practice of the Ásatrú religion in Chicago. Our members are kindred by choice, and we stand against all discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender, orientation, identity, origin, ancestry, age, or ability.
With the poison of white nationalism spreading worldwide and using Ásatrú as a propaganda vehicle, it is no longer enough to issue declarations and denunciations. We must join with other people of positive intent, push back on resurgent hate, and promote productive change.
On June 21 in Evanston, the YWCA hosts the 27th annual event in memory of Ricky Byrdsong, the Northwestern basketball coach murdered by a white supremacist in 1999 while walking with his young children. The shooter also wounded six Orthodox Jews, killed a Korean-American graduate student, and wounded an African-American minister before taking his own life.
All proceeds are used to further the YWCA’s mission regarding racial justice and violence prevention via programs that assist children to challenge their own prejudices and foster healthy, violence-free relationships among their peers; support teenagers in examining their own relationships and practicing constructive ways to handle conflict and differences; and encourage adults to engage in constructive dialogue, interactive activities, and meaningful action related to racial justice.
Help make a real difference in the real world. Register today and join us on the walk. If you don’t live in the area, you can donate – any amount is appreciated! Sign up to join our walking team or donate by clicking here.
Learn more about Thor’s Oak Kindred at https://www.thorsoak.info/ and about Ásatrú at https://www.thorsoak.info/p/asatru.html
Crossing of the Veil
Hail the Traveler!
What is remembered lives.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
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Elevations
The Aquarian Tabernacle Church International announced the elevation of Lady N’Mier LaVeau to 3rd Degree WISE Priestess. Congratulations! “We are so blessed by your ministry,” ATC wrote in their announcement. “You teach us ‘this life is sacred.’ It is an honor to witness your path.”
5/11/2026 EBSAT Meeting 5:00 pm PDT to 5:30 pm PDT
Dr. Jon Cleland Host will share “A Detroit Autoworker Spills the Tea about the EVs in your Future.”
Within the auto industry, views often differ from those in the mass media. As an automotive scientist, I’ve seen a lot of change in the past 5 years, both in the industry’s overall direction and in new technologies quickly moving from the lab to the factory floor. Will Extended-Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) supplant normal Electric Vehicles (EVs)? Will EVs disappear in a few years? What are the main advantages and disadvantages of the technologies you’ll drive in a few years? What effect will these have on our Earth? Find out at the May EBSAT meeting, and bring your questions!
Events and Announcements
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More Events at our new Events Calendar
Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte
Deck: Aquarian Tarot, by David Palladini, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
Card: Eight (8) of Pentacles
This week there is liable to be an emphasis on honing skills, especially as it applies to employment, but also in other areas where refining talents could allow for expansion of both finance and knowledge. There may be a sense of not making the desired headway, and perhaps even the temptation to switch horses, or simply give up. This is not that week. Holding steady, and continuing to forge ahead, even though progress may seem to be coming at a snail’s pace, will eventually pay off—and perhaps in unforeseen ways!
Conversely, undertaking projects that are well beyond one’s ability and skill set are likely to be doomed to failure unless expert help is sought. No one becomes a master of their craft overnight, and expecting to magically develop such skills in an instant is the height of imperiousness. And finally, endeavors that are solely based on greed will likely be seen for exactly what they are, even if they succeed to some degree.
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Birds and Gardens!
Photo Credit [MJTM
National Public Gardens Week, observed from May 8–17 this year, celebrates the important role that public gardens play in environmental stewardship, education, conservation, and community well-being across North America. Organized by the American Public Gardens Association, the annual observance encourages people to visit and support botanical gardens, arboreta, historic landscapes, and other public green spaces.
Originally launched in 2009 as National Public Gardens Day, the celebration later expanded into a multi-day event designed to increase awareness about the value of public gardens and the work they do in plant conservation, water preservation, sustainability, and environmental education. Public gardens often serve as living museums and research centers while also offering communities spaces for recreation, reflection, and connection with nature.
This year’s “Go Public Gardens” campaign invites visitors to explore local gardens and participate in themed activities, photography challenges, and educational programs. Organizers encourage people to share their experiences on social media using hashtags such as #GoPublicGardens and #GoPublicGardens2026. Themes throughout the week include spring blooms, migratory birds, butterflies, and other aspects of biodiversity commonly supported by public gardens.
According to organizers, public gardens are increasingly important as communities confront climate change, habitat loss, and urbanization. Many institutions provide programs focused on native plants, pollinator support, sustainable landscaping, and ecological restoration. Others serve as cultural and artistic centers, hosting festivals, exhibitions, and educational workshops for all ages.
National Public Gardens Week also highlights the accessibility of these spaces. Many gardens offer discounted or free admission during the observance and encourage volunteerism and community participation. Supporters say the week is ultimately about reconnecting people with the natural world while recognizing the role gardens play in preserving biodiversity and improving public health and quality of life.
It is also International Migratory Bird Day, a celebration of the extraordinary journeys of migratory birds and a reminder of the importance of protecting the habitats they depend upon across continents. The observance is held twice each year to reflect migration patterns across the Western Hemisphere, most commonly on the second Saturday in May and again in October during autumn migration. In 2026, the spring observance falls on May 9. Conservation groups, parks, nature centers, and public gardens use the occasion to promote bird-friendly practices such as preserving wetlands and forests, reducing light pollution, planting native species, and limiting pesticide use. The event also highlights the growing threats migratory birds face from climate change, habitat loss, pollution, and collisions with buildings. For many communities, the return of migratory birds serves as both an ecological sign of seasonal change and a source of cultural and spiritual inspiration connected to renewal, cycles of nature, and humanity’s relationship with the living world.
We hope you’ve had time to recover from your Beltaine celebrations and are able to spend some time in nature this weekend!
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